Talent of the Month — Lawrence Ola

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Lawrence Ola has only been on StarNow for a year but has definitely made the most of it! In just 12 months, he has been signed to Howell Management, and scored several fantastic roles with major brands such as Amart, Lush Cosmetics and British Paints – just to name a few.

How long have you been on StarNow, and what prompted you to join? I signed up at the beginning of the year. I had been working for Lush Cosmetics Manufacturing for almost nine years and figured I would take on a new challenge, exploring more creative pursuits.

I had originally wanted to major in drama at university, but had to cut studies short. I guess I'm picking up where I left off.

You're an active member of StarNow, with a fantastic profile full of some awesome shots. Do you have any advice for people looking to make the most of the site? With any job you apply, audition, or are are called back for and eventually score – be professional and polite in all forms of communication. Whether it’s a high budget project or an unpaid student film, people will remember how you communicate with them.

What was your first TV commercial and/or modelling job, and how did you land that position? The first modelling job I landed was for Lush Cosmetics where I scored two instore campaigns in Australia and New Zealand. I was actually working for the manufacturing site at the time and by chance was chosen to feature.

My first TVC was for a NSW government advert on StarNow. I applied, sent a self-tape and scored the role!

Lawrence featuring in an Amart TV commercial.

When did you know you wanted to get in to TV/modelling? Growing up I didn't see a lot of people that looked like me in the world of acting or modelling, unless they were amazing singers or played Australian football. I’ve always had a silly side and liked the idea of acting out different characters, so thought I would give acting a go!

You have recently featured in a shoot for Lush Cosmetics and have some amazing shots from that! What was it like working for them? Lush Cosmetics has been a major part of my working life (as mentioned earlier), so getting the chance to feature in a few of their campaigns made me so excited. We had fun setting up shots and workshopping what would work best for the ideas. There were also a lot of bubbles!

Lawrence in a Lush Cosmetics shoot for Australia and New Zealand.

What three things have you found to be essential to succeed in this industry? Say thank you – it goes such a long way and people remember it!

Support your fellow industry peers. As an actor, I know there are so many people competing for the same roles and it can be a tough slog at times to score a gig.

Congratulating and supporting your fellow actors is much better than casting doubt on their ability, or insulting them. The same goes for any other industry role. At the end of the day, the actor that scored the role had the same struggles as you – perhaps even harder. Showing them love for their success will build foundations for the future.

Having a flexible job always helps – and it’s nothing to be ashamed of. I've noticed a lot of actors lower their voice when they admit they work supermarket/fast food jobs – be proud of earning honest coin. Personally, having a day job while acting (especially when I was just starting out) helped to keep things stable for me. While it did limit what I could do at times, having flexibility helped keep a roof over my head so that I could learn lines safely and comfortably for an audition or a shoot. As I write this, I am proud to say that I am back at Lush Cosmetics packing bath bombs in the afternoons as a Christmas casual while I do projects during the day. Some people may disagree with this point and that is totally fine – you do you.

What has been the highlight of your career so far? Scoring my first big commercial with British Paints. Seeing the mechanics behind a single shot and the number of people behind the scenes working to make actors look great really took me by surprise. It made me appreciate how much work the crew do on sets. Having my parents watch the advert was also a highlight.

Vaalia – 'Full of Feelgoodness' TVC Screenshot.

Hidden talent? Does making a breakfast buffet disappear count?

What was your dream job when you were a kid? I’m pretty sure I wanted to be a Power Ranger.

One thing people would be surprised to know about you? I've been trying to learn Korean for a while. I'm also K-pop fan. I've used small bits of Korean in film projects that I've scored on StarNow, but those scenes keep getting cut! Maybe for good reason.

What's the number one thing on your bucket list? I don't have one! Perhaps recording an album. My singing isn't great, but it's nothing a bit of practice (and an awesome sound engineer) couldn't fix.

Maddison Baker is StarNow’s Digital Marketing Coordinator. She’s multi-talented and multi-faceted - between answering your questions on social media, writing blogs and reporting, she manages to pack a lot into her day (think lunchtime gym sessions to after-work netball games.) She always knows where the newest, coolest café is, the lyrics to Drake’s latest song, and is particularly interested in writing and people— specifically their stories.